Canape Specialty Chef Services LLC

I was weeding my garden the other day, and I am rather pleased with the results…Especially the herbs! I have a large amount of thyme, oregano, lavender and mint.  The mint I use on a regular basis and I am not too concerned with thinning it.  The others, however, are truly out of control. If you are having similar issues with your herb garden, you can cut it back and thin in out, but what to do with all of the lush, perfumed harvest.

One thing I do, is bundle them together with some kitchen string at the stems, and hang them to dry. After about two months, you can then pick the dried leaves and store them in a jar to use throughout the winter.

So I was watering my garden and I am really pleased with the results thus far.  I am excited to get some lettuce as soon as this weekend. I also don’t really mind all of the maintenance I usually hate.  I am speaking of course of the weeding.  I am really hoping to have a bountiful harvest this year and I am thoroughly excited to eat vegetables I have grown.

Tip:

Lightly season fresh cut melon with salt and fresh ground white pepper. It will draw out the natural sugars(the flavor) from the fruit.

Strawberry and Irish Cream Fool
Serves 6

Ingredients:

2 cups strawberries, hulled
2 cups heavy cream
½ cup Irish Cream
Confectioners Sugar

Method:

Refrigerate 6 stem or martini glasses.
Reserve 6 strawberries.
In a food processor, puree the remaining strawberries until smooth.
In a large bowl, beat cream until stiff peaks form.
Add half the strawberry puree, and add the Irish cream.
Fold in until blended.
Divide ¼ of the strawberry cream among the glasses.
Top with a layer of the fruit puree.
Continue to alternate layers.
Garnish with a fresh strawberry, and dust with confectioners’ sugar.

So I am going to do an Italian cooking class for a client this evening, and the dessert is a Zabaione (Marsala Custard). It has inspired me to write about fortified wines.  What are fortified wines?  Quite simply a fortified wine is a wine to which spirits such as brandy have been added.

Examples are sherry, port, madeira & marsala.  It is believed that the English discovered that by fortifying the grape wine, they could survive the long ocean voyages to English marketplaces with the fear of spoilage.

I have been really excited with the spurts of sunny weather here in Seattle.  It is almost time to do some gardening.  I am hoping to have a modest vegetable garden this year.  I will start with some lettuces.  They are a great way to bulk up your garden, as well as provide a steady amount of fresh greens to your kitchen.

For those of you like me, you are trying to shed a few pounds and change your diet.  Having fresh greens with some vegetables and a chicken breast is a great way to get good nutrition and still feel as though you had a substantial meal.

So try planting a small planter box with some lettuces….you might discover your own green thumb (pun intended).

Running April 1, 2009 through May 15, 2009 we are offering diners a gourmet, four-course meal prepared in their homes by Executive Chef, Jay DeLong, for only $50 per person. The special gives anyone who’s ever dreamed of having a private chef the opportunity to experience culinary in-home dining for a fraction of the normal cost. Diners select their meal from a Prix Fixe menu, which includes Canapé specialties Carrot Ginger Soup, Roasted Beef Tenderloin, and Maple Sugar Crème Brulee.

Further details including menu options click here >

“Chef Jay provided us with a delicious meal that was entertaining and educational.  It was an awesome experience to have a group of friends over to share in this wonderful event. I would definetely use Jay’s expertise again. From start to finish, he was a “true” professional. Great friends, amazing food…all in the comfort of your home. What more can someone ask for”

- Matthew M.

Ingredients:

2 TBS unsalted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
6 ears corn, shucked with corn removed from cob
1 quart chicken stock
2 cups fat free half & half
Tabasco, or any cayenne pepper sauce, to taste
Worcestershire Sauce, to taste
salt & pepper to taste

Method:

Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-low heat.
Increase heat to medium-high and add garlic and onion.
Sauté for about 3-4 minutes.
Add carrots and corn. Cook for an additional 4-5 minutes.
Add stock and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 25-30 minutes.
Place soup in a blender and purée until slightly smooth.
Return to soup pot add half & half and season.

With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, I am thrilled to be able to enjoy my heritage on the grandest of stages with friends and family, and to also enjoy some of my favorite dishes and drinks.

It is with some regularity that I enjoy a pint of Guinness, that is a given. What is less common, is a Blacksmith. This is half Smithwick’s (pronounced “SMITH-icks” or “SMITT-icks”), an Irish Ale, and half Guinness draught stout. This is not to be confused with a Black and Tan, half Bass Ale and Guinness. The mis-speaking of either one, depending on your location, could be the difference between getting served and not.

The cuisine of Ireland, which most people think is merely potatoes and boiled meats, is surprisingly flavorful. For instance, Bacon Wrapped Roasted Salmon with a Parsley sauce accompanied by Champ (creamy mashed potatoes with freshly chopped scallions).

I also enjoy brown bread. That is a spin on Irish soda bread except that it is made with whole wheat flour, cracked oats and a touch of honey.

A wonderful apple-parsnip soup is a great lunch on a soggy Saturday afternoon. Accompanied by the brown bread, and I am in Food Heaven.

One of my favorite desserts is of Irish origin. Irish Fool is a very simple and delicious dessert of puréed fruit and whipped cream. You typically fold half of your fruit purée, usually berries, into the whipped cream, and layer, alternately into a stemmed glass. Have that with an Irish Coffee, and that makes for a wonderful conclusion to a great Irish meal.

“Only Irish Coffee provides in a single glass all four essential food groups: alcohol, caffeine, sugar, fat.”

Sláinte (To your health in Gaelic)